Category: Education

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Education Recent News

Atlantic Cape Community College to Open Fall Semester on Aug. 31 with On-Campus & Remote Learning Options

With the recent lifting of Governor Murphy’s “Stay-at-Home” order, Atlantic Cape is preparing for students to take courses this fall. The College will offer limited face-to-face classes, which may include courses that require hands-on labs like culinary, health sciences, and other related courses.

Atlantic Cape’s President, Dr. Barbara Gaba, said, “The reopening of the campuses will be a measured and gradual approach to ensure the health and safety of students, faculty, and staff. Our Coronavirus Task Force has developed a comprehensive reopening plan and is reviewing all cleaning and sanitizing protocols, to ensure that Atlantic Cape can provide the necessary in-person services (such as Financial Aid, Admissions, and Advising) for student success.”

Image credit: Atlantic Cape

Atlantic Cape will provide loaner computers to students who need them, as well as a host of remote student services, including tutoring, counseling, online student club activities, career services, and advising. Atlantic Cape has also increased their online tutoring services, so it is available to students 24/7.

The College is currently continuing with their online classes for the Summer, with some courses available for the second summer session that begins June 29 and the third session on July 13. The first classes for Fall 2020 begin August 31. Atlantic Cape has a range of scholarships available to all students, an emergency fund for students impacted by COVID-19, and the Tuition-Free Community College Opportunity Grant (CCOG) is open to anyone who meets the state’s criteria.

Any interested student for credit or non-credit classes can visit Atlantic Cape – www. atlantic.edu/registration to register for Summer and Fall classes online.

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Bright Side Covid-19 Education

Atlantic City Electric Helps Meet Funding Needs for Students Impacted by COVID-19 With Innovative Community Scholars Program

MAYS LANDING, N.J. (June 25, 2020) – As part of its ongoing support for customers and communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Atlantic City Electric has announced it will donate $50,000 through its Community Scholars Program, to support local South Jersey students seeking careers in energy or related fields.

Atlantic City Electric’s Community Scholars Program will provide financial assistance to students who are pursuing higher-education and vocational training—helping achieve their personal educational goals and sustaining a workforce that is prepared for future careers in energy. The program will provide grants for the 2020-2021 academic year to the following educational institutions:

  • Rowan College of South Jersey (Gloucester and Cumberland Counties)
  • Atlantic Cape Community College

“The COVID-19 pandemic has strained our economy and limited financial support for students in South Jersey and across the country,”said Gary Stockbridge, Atlantic City Electric region president. “As we continue to recover as a region, we are making strategic investments, including helping students pursuing STEM fields to continue on a path to achieve their personal goals. This will not only help students but also will have long-term benefits for the overall economy, ensuring we have a diverse and skilled pipeline of local talent who can continue to support our customers’ evolving energy needs. We will continue to do our part to support our customers, community partners and South Jersey’s recovery efforts.”

The Community Scholars Program grants will be provided to local educational institutions, supporting students as gap funding. Partnering educational institutions will make award decisions based on a student’s financial need and pursuit of degrees in energy related fields. 

“Rowan College of South Jersey is appreciative of this generous donation being made to our Cumberland and Gloucester students by Atlantic City Electric,” stated College President Frederick Keating. “On behalf of the Foundations, I want to thank Atlantic City Electric for the Community Scholars Program Scholarship. This gift is evidence to the commitment and desire to aid students in the pursuit of a higher education and will make a difference in the lives of our students, particularly during this time of economic uncertainty.”

“We are thrilled about our ongoing partnership with Atlantic City Electric in creating education pathways for Atlantic Cape students,” said Dr. Barbara Gaba, Atlantic Cape Community College president. We are most grateful for the $25,000 grant that provides scholarships for students in need.”

A robust and skilled energy workforce is essential to keeping the lights on. Atlantic City Electric’s support is part of the company’s effort to provide the highest level of service for its customers and communities. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Atlantic City Electric has supported COVID-19 relief efforts across South Jersey, including $75,000 in contributions committed to local organizations in March and April to support food insecurity and other financial challenges facing residents. In addition, Atlantic City Electric crews have worked around-the-clock, in accordance with local ordinances, to maintain the critical infrastructure that powers hospitals and health care facilities, federal, state and local response centers, and businesses, as well as the many homes that make up the region.

Atlantic City Electric has a strong track record supporting workforce development and providing customers with energy assistance in the region. In 2018, the company announced a six-year, $6.5-million workforce development initiative to expand training programs for energy-related jobs and to educate the workforce needed to fill future energy jobs across New Jersey. 

The program is being implemented through a partnership with Atlantic County Institute of Technology, Cape May Vocational School, Cumberland County TEC, and each of the four workforce development boards across the Atlantic City Electric’s service area. Additionally, since 2017, Atlantic City Electric has provided $1 million annually in funding through the Helping Hands program, which supports energy assistance programs administered through local, partnering organizations.

Readers are encouraged to visit The Source, Atlantic City Electric’s online news room. For more information about Atlantic City Electric, visit atlanticcityelectric.com. Follow the company on Facebook at facebook.com/atlanticcityelectric and on Twitter at twitter.com/acelecconnect. Our mobile app is available at atlanticcityelectric.com/mobileapp.

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Education Feature Stories

Public – Private Collaboration Minimizes the Digital Divide for N.J. Students


Clementon, NJ – COVID-19 has presented endless challenges for schools in New Jersey and across the country. One of the greatest challenges has been the digital divide, an unresolved problem whereby students have access to technology, but limited or no internet connectivity at home. During remote instruction, some schools scrambled to link students to free internet service from local providers, but the free plans were followed by low-cost monthly commitments which presented yet another financial hurdle for low-income families.

With the realistic possibility of remote instruction continuing, the Camden County Educational Services Commission (CCESC) has identified a solution to help school districts minimize the digital divide for their students. The CCESC, which provides a wide range of shared educational services to public and private schools, awarded their Digital Divide RFP to Xtel Communications of Mt. Laurel, New Jersey. Xtel Communications provides a rapidly deployable internet service that school districts can purchase for utilization by their students.

“Providing internet access to economically-disadvantaged students helps to address the multitude of inequities that students face in school and in their day-to-day lives. Providing students with internet access at home is similar to providing them with textbooks or other required school supplies,” stated Daniel Del Vecchio, superintendent of Camden County Educational Services Commission.

“Xtel is extremely excited to have been awarded the Digital Divide RFP. COVID-19 has forced schools to support students while they are in their homes. Unfortunately, many students lack the necessary internet access needed to get their assignments and interact with teachers. Internet access is an essential tool that every student must have, and Xtel will be able to help fill that need,” said Brian Flynn, president of Xtel Communications.

About Camden County Educational Services Commission

Since 1979, the Camden County Educational Services Commission has provided cost-effective shared services to school districts in Camden County and throughout New Jersey.

About Xtel Communications

Xtel Communications, based in Mount Laurel, NJ, is a full-service telecommunications company that has been providing internet, voice, and network security services to schools and businesses for 26 years.

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Education Feature Stories Recent News

Camden County College Offering Mix of Online & In-Person Classes for Fall 2020 Semester

(Blackwood, NJ) – Camden County College President Donald A. Borden announced that most fall 2020 for-credit, workforce development, and noncredit courses will be offered online or remotely, with many nursing, health sciences, lab, and studio courses offered in-person subject to state approval and adherence to safety protocols recommended by the health care community.

“As we continue to monitor COVID-19 and its impact on College operations, we remain acutely aware of how the pandemic will affect campus re-entry and fall 2020 semester instruction.” Borden said. “Our primary responsibility is to ensure the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and community members as we gradually reintegrate onto our campuses and instructional sites. Public safety and security measures, including CDC standards for access, wellness monitoring, and social distancing will guide our fall teaching strategy.”

Following an announcement from Governor Murphy permitting phased re-entry for higher education, the College continues to prepare instructional plans for the fall semester. A Return to Campus task force is actively developing an array of re-entry strategies. Among contingency planning is a Curriculum and Instruction subgroup comprised of Academic Affairs faculty and administrators. The task force has explored alternative teaching approaches from various perspectives including space, classroom and laboratory resources, and how class meetings could be safely and effectively managed in the fall.

“Ultimately, unrestricted face-to-face instruction for lecture course sections is not achievable for the fall 2020 semester, even with carefully-staged sequencing of students, rotating class meeting days and times, and essential social distancing and sanitation protocols.” Borden said. “The burden placed on students, faculty members, facilities personnel, housekeeping, and our Public Safety staff would prove not only unmanageable, but unsafe.”

For the fall 2020 semester, all lecture course sections will be offered in an online modality. Those courses containing both lecture and lab instructional components will convert to a hybrid course modality, allowing for limited in-person instruction in keeping with the Governor’s plan and CDC standards.

Sequenced re-entry for in-person lab and practicum courses that could not be completed for the spring 2020 semester will have first preference when campuses reopen. A prioritized re-entry timeline for staging in-person fall lab and practicum instruction is likewise in preparation for students’ return to campus.

Because the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be fluid, re-entry details will evolve and could change. The College is prepared to reassess and readjust our approach to fall teaching modalities should circumstances dictate.

Registration for the fall semester is taking place now at www.camdencc.edu.

Camden County College, located in Blackwood, Camden and Cherry Hill, is one of the largest community colleges in New Jersey and ranks among the top nationwide in terms of associate degree graduates and workforce training. For more information visit www.camdencc.edu.  

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Education Recent News

Brooklawn BOE Conducting Public Sale of St. Maurice Property; Bids Due June 25

The Brooklawn Board of Education (BOE) has advertised a public sale of the St. Maurice property, located at 401 Community Road. Bids will be received by the BOE on June 25, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.

On May 21, 2020, the BOE passed a Resolution authorizing the sale of the property and also authorized the district’s Business Administrator/Board secretary to conduct the sale. “The property is no longer necessary for school purposes and determines to sell [it],” the Resolution stated.

The School District reserves the right to reject all bids if the highest bid is not accepted, and/or, if the successful bidder does not close on the transfer of the Property, to consider the next highest bidders in succession of highest bid price.

Specifications and other bid information, including all of the terms and conditions of the sale, may be obtained from Sam Dutkin, School Business Administrator/Board Secretary, by calling him at telephone 856-547-8467, x124 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday or by email to sdutkin@alicecostello.com

The property was recently listed by Wolf Commercial Real Estate for $785,000.

To view the sales brochure, click the image below.

This post has been updated and corrected.